The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-11-03
'rnE DocroRs, nEa llI., mi, \,
A Coed Law In General which Is Faulty Ii
H.55Ltt Some Details. 7, q Ed q NY

j
Thoie has bean o good deal Of talk
among tho phyaicians and others inter.
ested about the Harris Vital Statistic law,
passed by tho last Legislature, which re.
quires all physiciauu, midwives, and other
persons who ofIlclate at the death OF birth
OF members Of the human family, to record
their names In book kept for that pur.
pose by the Clerk Of the Board Of County
Commissioners, and to report all deaths
and births, with their minutest details,
Most Of the older doctors look upon tbs
law as "loollshness," and generally frank.
ly cay 80 when They register. Others, and
especially the younger practitioners, com.
mend 1t, while those who have had or may
have occasion to want to know facts hero.
totors Inaccessible, and which by the
proyiaions Of this law will b. made a
matter Of permanent record, were de.
lighted whom the bill became q law, ,.,,
There arc some objections urged agains.
the act by tia friends, which thsy would
like to have obyiated. One Of these Is tho
item Of cost 10 the county, which
some fear may make 1t unpopular and
lead 10 ils repeal before It has done any
good. Another Ia the fact that the phyei.
clan, coroner, midwife or undertaken who
makea report receives fee Of c5 cents
for each birth or death, while the clerk Of
the Board, who has 10 record the report in
two books and from thia record make up
an annual condensed abatement, gets 10.
all his work but two cents. The one.
sidedness Of this provision Is manifsst.
Each birth or death thus costa tho county,
out Of whoss treasury the fac Is paid, at
leas. q cents.
The book In which the phyaiclans regis.
ter is rathor complicated, having about
ten columns In which must be entered cor.
tain particulars. These columns are for
the date OF registration; name; school of
practice; residence and poatoflico address
age; nativity; yeara In practice in all and
number Of years in practice in West Yir.
ginia; date Of certificate OF State Board oil
Health and on VIVA. grounds issued,
whether by diploma or exaninaiion or on
account OF ten years practice in the State
date Of ding certificate and SO forth.
OF tho thirty-one out OF fifty or more in
the county who have 80 far registered, the
Gges range from % to II, and tha years Of
practice from three to ttty.oue. The short.
est length Of time any physician has prac.
ticed in West Virginia Is two years. and
tho longest tiity.one. Tho date Of diplo.
mas varies half a century, from 1884 to
1884. One phyaician began to practice on
certificate In 81, and afterwards attend.
ed msdicsl collsge, obtaining diploma
this year. OF those registered all but two
were born In the United States, these two
being from Germany and Switzerland, re-.
spec!ively.
The report concerning birth is "a.
CURED to state the full nsmo OF child
sex; number Of child OF this mother
color, white, black, red); date OF birth
and place; fathers nationality, fa.her'a
place OF birth and age; mothers nation.
atty, place OF birth and aga mothers
namo and her maiden name; mother'f
residence; name Of father and his occupa.
ton; mans OF medical and other attend.
antS and address; srd other medical partic
ulars.
| The reports concerning deaths Gro SIS
minute, and differ in minor particular;
when nade By phyoicisn and when By
a coroner or undertaken. The details in.
clude tho nanc, date, aga, sex, color, &C
cnprtion, nativity, how long a resident o.
West Virginia, place and ciuss OF death
llsngsh OF sickness, place and date Of burial
Ous undertaken made return OF % deaths
at once, these coVsr;ug the period since
Msy 90 last, whsn ths Law went into
eject.
| The advantages OF the lew to the gsner.
al public, aud Ieasons for ita unpopu!arity
| in certain quarters, are ess;ly aeon.